-Ryo-

Ryo rose to the sound of trumpets and horns. Departing his bed and stepping onto the balcony, he saw a great crowd had filled the streets as far as he could see. It was if every home was emptied. His concubines stirred and complained of the noise, but he ignored them, put on his outer robes, and departed. He talked with those in his house as to what had happened, and none could answer, though it was evident a great occasion had started akin to a holiday. The people were celebrating, not rioting nor mourning.

"There is no holiday... The Dragon Boat Festival is not for ten days," Ryo said.

"Then why do the people act as if there is a holiday?" His people wondered. "Is there an occasion we missed?"

Ryo sighed. He felt ignorant and out of control. Ever since Bi Ki appeared again, his carefully constructed foundation had shattered and he no longer had a careful overview of what was transpiring around him. He needed to regain his focus. He was slipping if a holiday had come without his knowledge.

So Ryo took his personal guard and entered into the city. He asked those he found on the street. They could tell him some things, but there was no clear answer. The people said that a messenger from the palace had stood and declared that today was to be a day of celebration, that this whole week was to be a week of joy, for the royal family was to be married.

Ryo stood shocked and numb in the street when he heard it. The royal family was to be married? To whom?!

"Who is Zelda marrying? I have heard nothing of this! How much have I missed?!" Ryo wondered.

He went to the gates of the palace, but was not allowed entry. With the marriage to come, then the palace was locked even from him. An understandable thing to do, as royalty are required to spend time in quiet solitude and prayer before the marriage.

Ryo sighed. There would be nothing he could learn or do with the palace under lockdown. He would have to wait until the hour in question.

-Two Days Later-

The celebration had not ended, nor the noise to Ryo's annoyance, but it had only increased in the last hour. Messengers on horses rode down every street loudly announcing the marriage was to be held at the temple at the sixth hour of the day.

(Note: Culturally, the 6th hour of the day would be 12:00, when the sun is at its peak.)

Ryo did not know when the hour would be, but he had made preperations anyway. He put on his finest clothing, ordered his men and soldiers to adorn themselves in holiday clothes and golden armor. (Gold is impractical in combat, and so is only used for appearance.) With his procession prepared, he headed to the temple.

The streets were filled with streamers and lantern-balloons. Singers and games were on every street corner. The markets were bussling with masks and food and clothing. Out of the corner of his vision, on the walls of the capital city, were set up with powder for fireworks.

Surrounding the temple was a literal wall of shields. The royal guard stood in formation around it in their golden, shining armor. Their spears were long and their shields tall. It was not that they had any intention of combat, the spears had caps on their ends surrounded in cloth and rubber to not pierce or cut anyone by accident, but it was still a powerful image of majesty. A majestic atmosphere encouraged more so by the Fae to fly about out of reach and the marble, moving statues watching the crowd from the temple steps.

Ryo was allowed entry, as well as two of those he chose from his group, in addition to three guards.

Ryo entered the temple, stopped, and nearly gaped in awe. It had been many years since he had been to a royal marriage, so many that he found himself missing his old friend, the king, but it seemed Zelda aimed to outdo her father in appearance. The walls were covered in tapestries hanging from the ceiling. There was a tapestry for every major house in Qin, a larger tapestry for the royal family and Qin itself, and the largest one in the center towards the back with the triple-triangular bird that represented the whole region as it was known hundreds of years ago: Hyrule.

It did not pass his notice that his tapestry and flag was absent. Though one could argue that he was not a house, but a faction positioned under a single man, and so did not merit to be among the pattern given honor, he knew it was still a slight to him and on purpose.

"Impressive," Ryo murmured. He glanced around, noting who was present, and stepped aside. Chancellor Impa was in the midst of servants giving orders to make the marriage go about smoothly.

Rude or not, Ryo felt compelled to approach. "What is this noise in my ears of a marriage, dear Impa?" Ryo wondered.

His presence had an immediate affect on her. Her shoulders tensed and her eyes narrowed. "You answer your own question."

"Perhaps, but it is such a surprise these days. Just who is the princess marrying? Surely it is not a prince of another kingdom, they would demand she become the consort to their prince and our land of Qin would turn into something else entirely." Ryo mused. He added, "Nor do I imagine it as being an heir of any lesser house in Qin... This leaves two possibilities."

"Such as?" Impa wondered.

"High Heir Princess Zelda is marrying Mouhan Mitagi, the heir to the Mitagi house. The marriage would unite our kingdom more than ever and give our greatest house high honor. Or, she is marrying the Majora chieftain's brother. Such a marriage would strengthen Qin. Though, the former is more likely because the latter would anger the Mitagi and be a detriment to her."

Impa chuckled. Ryo frowned. He questioned her, "You find my reasoning foolish?"

"Not at all, Ryo. The logic is sound, however it is limited. That is your greatest fallacy. Your vision is great and your logic is sound, but you hold pride to it so much that you refuse to consider possibilities beyond your sight, even when the possibility tickles you."

"Such a fallacy is human..." Ryo growled, aggravated.

"Didn't say it wasn't. Still, Zelda is not marrying them."

Ryo looked her in the eye and found no lie. She hid herself behind walls but even so she wouldn't have been able to hide a lie from him. Never from him. Ryo frowned, "So she is marrying a commoner? A nobody?"

"Oh I didn't say that."

"Then whom is she marrying?" Ryo wondered. "Because I have to say this is unexpected and strikes me of panicked behavior. Rumors rise of difficulty making heirs on her part, and immediately she goes to marry? Without taking in council, without suitors, and without time to make arrangements? If she was marrying someone of low value to get the rumor out of the way, then it wouldn't warrant such pomp and circumstance, and if she was marrying someone of higher class than no work has been done to establish property rights."

Impa didn't say anything for a moment, merely watching him with an ever growing smile. Ryo growled, aggravated by her attitude.

"It burns, doesn't it, to be in the dark?"

"Impa..." Ryo whispered. "Don't test me. Either refuse to answer or give it to me straight."

"The marriage is going through, whether you like it or not, Ryo. You will learn along with everyone else. Content yourself with that and take your place." Impa motioned to the seats, then gestured for the servants to return to her since Ryo interrupted them. "You are in the way."

Ryo growled, but departed.

"I had just left! How much did I miss?! Who's she marrying?!" A rather loud teenager exclaimed from the entrance. Ryo stood to the side and observed him closely.

Prince Link. The mere sight of him aggravated Ryo for many reasons. Not the least of which was his lack of indiscretion. He was unwashed, loud, demanding, and improperly dressed. It baffled Ryo how such a one as him could be the only true flaw to his plans, yet, thankfully, Link and Zelda both were unaware of how easily his decades long plan could be destroyed by him.

Annoyed as Ryo was by the recent turn of events, he reminded himself it didn't matter. He had already won and it would stay that way so long as Prince Link stayed as soldier-Link.

Movement out of a side door drew his attention and, despite himself, Ryo couldn't stop himself from gaping. Zelda stepped out of a side door and approached Link. Instantly the two teenagers locked eyes, something passed between them, and they started talking. At first Zelda appeared mildly annoyed with him, but her composure softened just as quickly.

But none of this matter. It didn't matter that Zelda was breathtakingly beautiful in the ceremonial dress despite the scars. It didn't matter that Impa had a smug looked while watching Ryo. It didn't matter that Prince Link threatened to 'beat the ever living shit' out of whoever had touched Zelda, prompting her to laugh. Nothing in this room mattered.

Ryo's eyes snapped to the couple sitting at the back of the temple around the alter. The bridge and groom still wore their veils and coverings. Yet... the bride was not Zelda?

Zelda was not getting married.

Who was?

Ryo breathed, forced himself, to calm, and contented himself to wait. Probing questions would get him no further and he would come to understand in due time. Whatever was happening, it was a ruse of sorts. Either Zelda was playing some kind of trick, or was baiting him to being vulnerable enough to be assassinated. He greatly doubted she would go as far as to have him killed in this place, so whatever show it was she was putting on, he was sure he would be entertained by it. It could very well be that he was over thinking it, and the girl who was sitting in the place of the royal bride was a substitute until Zelda was ready to sit in her place.

Zelda and Link's talking went on for some time until they parted. Link took a place against the back wall and Zelda entered a side room. Impa finished giving orders to servants and guests as to where to sit. Every seat of the temple filled with a high ranking member of some house of Qin, and then more until some of the lower ranking had to stand. On short notice men and women came from all across Qin for this, and though they were willing to come and wait and see what the noise was about, it was clear from the whispering that they were caught off guard by the suddenness of the wedding and wondering who the couple was at the alter.

Ryo narrowed his eyes further. What was happening? Zelda wasn't stupid. She had hurt her image by rushing this so much.

The answer came as Zelda stepped out with a priest and announced what was happening.

Her voice did not carry. Ryo did not hear what she was saying, though those near the front gasped and stirred suddenly. With her words finished, Zelda walked alongside the edge of the room down towards Ryo.

The engaged couple pulled back their veils, Ryo's eyes widened in shock, he stood up abruptly, and the marriage started.

No matter how many years would pass, he would recognize the boy.

Prince Kyou.

"Whatever is the matter, dear Ryo? You look as if you have seen a ghost." Zelda wondered, ever so innocently.

The crowd, frozen for a moment in shock, stood and clapped their hands, happy and shocked to see the royal family strengthened and a marriage. Yet, Ryo did not notice any of them. They were all background noise to him. Ryo's eyes snapped to Zelda, who stood before him. Her eyes were defiant. Her lips curled in a smug, victorious grin. Right here, there was only the two of them.

Zelda's eyes told him everything he needed to know. She had set this up. She had taken advantage. Zelda wasn't a fool, she was one who learned from mistakes and the plans of her enemies, and had the same patience to rival Ryo.

The fools who stood and cheered and thought they were receiving honor for being here didn't realize they were meaningless. This was all about the two of them. It was all for this moment, so that Zelda could see the break in Ryo's armor and deal him a blow.

Prince Kyou. The one who's followers had joined Ryo and in recent times were returning to Zelda.

Prince Kyou. The one who's governor of Kanyou would have run the Queen Mother's rent so high.

Prince Kyou. The one who Zelda had supposedly killed, but it seemed had rather hidden away to use when she decided the time was right.

Prince Kyou. The only one who, like Prince Link, just by existing, could unravel all of Ryo's plans... no... did. It was no theory of if he could, but rather, she did. Zelda did. Without knowing it, Zelda had unraveled Ryo's plans and set him back to the start. Did she know what Ryo's grand plan was? Did she know how close she was to being destroyed by her own plan? No, impossible! If she did, she would have killed Kyou and then either submitted to Ryo or tried to kill him too.

Yet it wasn't as though she was completely ignorant. Despite how dangerous it was for her to bring Kyou back into the light, from the recent actions it seemed that she had her brother under control. Either they were truly cooperating or he was a puppet. So long as she kept Kyou under heel, there was still the possibility that Ryo's plan could also work against them both.

Ryo didn't accept risks like that. He would have to do something about this.

Despite himself, Ryo felt a great surge of energy enter him. His lungs picked up, his lips curled in a smile, and before he knew it he was laughing.

"What a time to be alive!" Ryo exclaimed. "Haha! Well done, princess. Truly. Well done." Ryo bowed before her at the hip. "Today is your victory, fully and unconditionally! You have made fools of us all, no, of the entire world!"

"I do not care if you enjoy this or not." Zelda replied. "Consider this my declaration of war, Ryo. I am no longer a young child to be protected and raised up. I am someone to be taken seriously. So either you surrender, or on the day I become king I will have you executed."

"You are right," Ryo smirked. "I will no longer make that mistake. I will no longer hold back against you. I have underestimated you, and that is my folly. Yet, allow me to offer you one gift."

"Gift?"

"This is a marriage ceremony after all. One should always offer a gift. Besides, you earned it as the victor of today."

Zelda sighed, tired of his games. Ryo chuckled, not caring.

"Very well. What is your gift, Ryo?"

"Despite my underestimating you, you should be wary from now on of underestimating me. If you think you have seen my true potential, then you are as foolish as the rest of them. My gift to you is a simple revealing. My name is not Ryo Fui."

Zelda stared at him a long moment, surprised. "I see..." She muttered eventually. "Then just what is your name?"

The marriage ceremony continued on to its finality, the new couple stood as wed, and the people cheered.

"Lu Buwei."

Zelda stared at him, eyes wide, while Ryo grinned darkly down at her. The chill of Zhao ran down her spine and the horrors of the world struck her in startling revelations.

Lu Buwei the Kingslayer was a legend. Lu Buwei was not just any kingslayer, but was known as The Kingslayer, the greatest and most mysterious of men to have killed kings.

It was Lu Buwei who killed the entire Zhao dyansty and replaced it with the one that ruled in the days of her father.

It was Lu Buwei who put that king that held her hostage in his place, to have her and her mother tortured as they were.

Lu Buwei and Ryo Fui were the same man.

Lu Buwei looked down on her. For the first time in decades having revealed his true name and place in the world, and ate up all the horror to briefly pass her.

"I have made kings and dynasties on a whim." He uttered. "Now it is only proper that the time has come to establish my own. I think, dear Zelda, it is time for a promotion."